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Gardaí have denied that a murder inquiry has been launched into the death of thirteen-year-old William Delaney, whose body was exhumed in Kilkenny yesterday. A newspaper report claimed that detectives were this evening set to upgrade the investigation into the death of the teenager to a murder inquiry. However, Gardaí say that a murder inquiry has not been launched. They indicated that no decision could be taken on the matter for a number of days.

William Delaney's body was exhumed yesterday as part of a wide-ranging Garda investigation into Letterfrack Industrial School in Connemara. William died more than 30 years ago having spent three years at the school for young offenders between 1967 and 1970. His body was exhumed as part of a five year long investigation into alleged physical and sexual abuse at the school run by the Christian Brothers.

Superintendent Tony Dowd said this evening that the Deputy State Pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, had concluded the initial part of her investigation and that further tests were being carried out on samples taken from the deceased. Consequently, Gardaí will not know the final results of the post mortem for a number of days.

Supt Dowd said that pending these results no conclusions have been reached as to the cause of William's death, adding they would have to wait for these final test results before they can comment on reports of head injuries to the body of the deceased. The superintendent, who is one of the leading members of the Letterfrack investigation team, said that it was incorrect to say that a murder investigation had been launched.